Heater



L. C. HUFF Oct. 4, 1932.

HEATER Filed Aug. 22. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l L. C. HUFF Oct. 4, 1932.

HEATER Filed Aug. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES LYMAN C. HUFF, F CHICAGO, ILLDI'OIS HEATER Application led August 22, 1928. Serial No. 301,371.

The present invention relates to improvements in a heater, and refers more particularly to a heater of the tube type scientifically designed to eiciently heat water for the production of hot water or steam, and in its broader aspects is designed to be used for superheating steam.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is designed for homes and similar domestic use, but in its broad aspects it is applicable with equal facility, on a larger scale, to'industrial uses for heating water or superheating steam.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a heater comprising spaced headers connected by tubes disposed circularly around a heat source; to provide a heater of the character described in which each tube is spaced substantially uniformly from the heat source and also spaced a suflicient distance from the heat source to efliciently absorb heat therefrom without being overheated; to provide a heater of the character described so designed that each tube receives a substantially uniform degree of heat; to provide a construction in which the fluid to be heated is charged to one of the headers passing from there through the tubes where the fluid is raised in temperature, discharging from said tubes into the other header; to

provide a heater in which the fluid being heated is first subjected to radiant heat and thereafter to convection heat; to provide a heater in which the hot gases from the heat source are caused to flow naturally, being deflected back and forth across the tubes without encounterin undue restriction or interference, thus a ording minimum draft loss; and in general to provide improvements in a heater of the character described.

The utility of the invention as well as other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the heater of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar fra entary sectional view taken on line 4 4 o Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a sli htly modified form of construction.

eferring more in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the heater consists of a clrcular header 1 and a similar circular header 2 s aced therefrom and connected b tubes 3. n the illustration of the heater s own in Fig. 1 it has been oo shown as disposed vertically, that is, the heater comprises a lower header 1 and upper header 2 connected by means of the tubes 3 placed vertically. As heretofore stated, I do not wish to be limited to a heater in which u the tubes are vertically disposed, since it will function with substantially vsimilar efficiency if the tubes are disposed at an angle from the vertical. The tubes 3 are disposed circularly around the burner 4, each tube preferably being uniformly spaced from the burner a suflicient distance therefrom to absorb heat without bein overheated, so that each tube 3 receives su stantially uniform heat.

The burner 4 in the present instance is l- 75 lustrated as a conventional type of oil burner, but it is to be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration and that any type of burner may be employed using other fuels. Water enters the bottom header 1 through connection 5, passin upwardly through the tubes 3 into the top eader 2 and out through connection 6, being heated in its upward travel, first by radiant heat from the burner 4, and secondly, by convection heat 85 from the hot gases that pass between the baffles 7 and 81 which baffles function to deflect the hot gases back and forth across the tubes, said gases finally leaving the heater through the flue connection 9. 96

An inner water drum 10 may be disposed centrally of the tubes in the upper part of the heater to which the bailles 7 may be welded. This drum communicates with top header 2 through a plurality of connections 11 and is so 95 positioned that it is entirely surrounded by the hot gases of combustion. The bottom of the drum 10 absorbs heat from burner 4 and is so shaped that some of the radiant heat is reflected against the adjacent tubes 3 as indicated by the arrows. Baies 7 being securel welded to the drum 10 conduct heat into sai drum from the hot gases of combustion. A connection 12 is provided into the drum 10 for the purpose of admitting return water from pipe 13 directly into the drum. It also provides a means of draining the drum, which may be accomplished by closing valve 14 and opening valve 15 in line 16, which will cause the water to siphon out of the drum.

As heretofore stated, While I have shown an oil burner 4 as the heating means, it is understood that I do not wish to limit the invention to any particular kind of burner or fuel, for any kind of fuel, such as coal, coke, gas, et cetera, or an electric heater, can be used. Where coal, coke or wood is used a fire pot 4 (Fig. 5) is installed in place of the burner. It is to be also understood that in place of the inner drum 10 a series of bales 17, 18 and 19 (Fig. 5) can be used to deflect the hot gases of combustion back and forth across the tubes if desired. In this event deflector 19 is used to deflect some of the radiant heat into the adjacent tubes, as illustrated by the arrows.

Up to this point I have described a heater particularly designed for the heating of Water for domestic or industrial purposes. It is understood tliat the heater can be readily adapted for use as a steam boiler, in which event the top header 2 would preferably be made deeper and a liquid level maintained therein to provide vaporizing surface. A gauge glass 20 may be used to indicate the liquid level. The

movable plugs 22 may be providedfin earch header opposite the tubes 3 for the purpose of cleaning them. i The heater is provided with a metal housing 23 which may be insulated as shown at 24. The advantages of this particular type of heater will be readily recognized by those familiar with this art. One advantage of disposing the tubes 3 vertically is to permit the water, on being heated,.to freely pass upwardly into the upper header 2, thus allowing cooler water to take its place and cause rapid circulation and increasing the velocity through the tubes. The tubes are heated below the lowest bafile by means of radiant heat and after passing above the lowest bafile by means of convection heat defiected back and forth across the tubes bymeans of said bales. Since each tube is preferably substantially uniformlyspaced from the heat source, and is also spaced a suicient distance from the heat source to absorb heat without being overheated, it will be obvious that I have designed a very eliicient type of heater.

I claim as my invention: 1. A heater comprising a heat source and a plurality of tubes disposed around said `heat source, a heat absorbing drum surrounded by; said tubes and disposed above the said heat source and a separating bale associated with said tubes between the heat source and the bottom of the drum to sub-v stantially prevent the heating gases from contacting that portion .of thetubes subjected to radiation from the heat source.

l2. A heater comprising a heat source and a plurality of tubes disposed around said heat source, a heat absorbing drum surrounded by said tubes and disposed above the said heat source and a separating bafiie associated with said tubes between the heat source and the bottom of the drum to substantially prevent the heating gases from contacting that portion of the tubes subjected to radiation from the heat source, said baffle being so disposed relative to said heat sourceI as to cause the fluid being heated to be first subjected to radiant heat and thereafter to convection heat.

3. A heater comprising in combination. a

centrally disposed heat source, a plurality of vertically disposed tubes circularly disposed around said heat source, upper and 'lower headers connecting said tubes, an inlet to said lower header for fiuid to be heated,

LYMAN C. HUFF. 

